Beauty queen checks out Harrington design

MISS World contestant Miss Ireland, Sinead Noonan, has become one of the first people to see a golf hole designed by her famous golfing compatriot Padraig Harrington.

Harrington is one of 18 of the world’s leading golfers to have designed a hole on the stunning new Signature Course at Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa. It was truly a case of Miss World and a whole World in One Golf course.

Noonan was on hand to inspect the hole designed by Harrington on what is expected to become one of the most talked about new courses in the world.

She said: “I’ve never seen anything like this and I doubt I ever will again. Legend Golf & Safari Resort is the most spectacular place and it was a great honour to be one of the first people ever to see the hole designed by such a famous Irish golfer like Padraig Harrington.”

All 112 Miss World contestants spent six days at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort learning a variety of tracking and ranger skills. And all of them had the chance to learn some basic golf putting techniques so they could take part in the finale of their time at Legend – a sneak preview VIP golf day on the course which will not open officially until March next year.

Legend founder and shareholder Peet Cilliers said: “We have been extremely proud to play host to the Miss World event and to give these ambassadors of their country’s the first chance to experience all we have to offer. Not only do have one of the best golf courses but we are also building a range of leisure facilities that we hope will be the envy of others for many years to come including a sporting Field of Legends catering for athletes, tennis players, footballers, cricketers, rugby players, swimmers and sportsmen and women of all ages and abilities.”

Noonan joined the other contestants in a range of safari activities whilst at Legend including Big 5 game tracking, learning survival skills, as well as enjoying African cultural activities like cooking, drumming and “Gumboot” dancing. She also enjoyed the magnificent surroundings of one of the most beautiful parts of Africa as the resort is located in the 22 000 hectare malaria-free Entabeni Safari Conservancy in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, situated within the greater UNESCO World Heritage “Waterberg Biosphere”.

Not only that but Noonan was able to see the Extreme 19th, the most stunning Par three in the world. The hole is accessible only by helicopter as the tee sits at the top of Hanglip mountain and plays to a green the shape of Africa some 430m below.

And the finale was the sneak preview golf on the unique Legend golf course which has been designed by some of the world’s best golfers including US Masters champion Trevor Immelman, British Open champion Padraig Harrington, VJ Singh, Sergio Garcia and KJ Choi.

The Legend Golf & Safari Resort will be one of Africa’s most impressive leisure facilities when it officially opens next year – but is taking bookings now. For more information go to www.legendgolfsafari.com